Wanting to be liked, admired, and respected by your community is deeply ingrained in you. Human beings are hardwired to seek out and develop positive relationships with others. That being said, this can be taken way, way too far. Especially in the digital age, where internet and social media dependence feels out of control.
Today, we’re featuring some of the most egregiously photo-edited photos that were freshly called out by members of the sprawling ‘Instagram Reality’ subreddit. Scroll down to see how heavy-handed some folks are with their filters. And remember, the point isn’t to make fun of anyone, but to call out social media dependency and unrealistic beauty standards.
#1 Unfortunately There Are People In The Comments That Think This Is Real…
Image credits: conwomangunvalson
#2 She’s Saying It’s All Natural
Image credits: eggheadsl*t
#3 One Of My Mom’s Facebook Friends…
Image credits: thatpilatesprincess
As per Healthline, social media dependency can lead to various downsides, such as low self-esteem, isolation, loneliness, anxiety, and depression.
It can also lead to having a fear of missing out, disrupted sleep, less physical activity, poor grades, poor work performance, damaging real-life relationships, and reduced empathy.
#4 My Sister Thinks She Has Chin Implants And A Filter But The Face Shape Is Not Edited
Image credits: Unapologeticallyfat
#5 Most Insane Reveal At The End
Image credits: HereForTheCulturee
#6 Ma’am What Is This??
Image credits: DiscussionHuge7753
According to research, social media dependency is characterized by excessive screen time, compulsive checking, and detrimental effects on real-life relationships and responsibilities.
This dependency can be driven by a host of factors, such as low self-esteem, mental health issues, peer pressure, exposure to idealized content, as well as technological mechanisms (for instance, personalized notifications or infinite scrolling).
#7 At Least Filter Slips Can Be Honest
Image credits: BubblyBb813
#8 Looking For New Dentists When…
Image credits: NillVanill98
#9 Tragic How A Skinny Girl Wants To Edit Herself Even Skinnier
Image credits: twinkletits10001
Managing social media dependency can be done using a variety of methods, for example, by using cognitive behavioral therapy (commonly known as CBT), mindfulness training, and educational initiatives about the potential risks.
Other strategies that can help include parents setting healthy boundaries at home and monitoring social media use.
Taken together, this mix of approaches can help a person develop healthier online behaviors.
#10 Found This Bbbbbabe On A Dating Site
Image credits: YouGet2Go2NewJersey
#11 No Makeup, But 94 Filters
Image credits: OneOfNature
#12 A Supposed Gym Transformation, Has 1 Million Likes On Ig
Image credits: dianthe
Broadly speaking, you should start getting concerned about your internet and/or social media use when it starts impacting your daily life. If your responsibilities (school, work, childcare, etc.), health, and relationships suffer, you’ve got a problem.
It’s a serious issue if you feel consumed by social media and don’t want to be part of real life.
This can lead to anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues. Ask yourself how you feel after spending time on social media. If you feel drained and bad, it’s definitely something to moderate.
#13 Indian Influencer Doing Blackface
Image credits: Dancing_WithTheTsars
#14 Gives Uncanny Vibes
Image credits: JessLovU
#15 My Jaw Dropped
Image credits: livinNxtc
Initially created back in November 2017, the ‘Instagram Reality’ subreddit has become one of the main online communities on the site.
Currently, it boasts a whopping 1.1 million members worldwide, as well as a large group of dedicated moderators who keep the sub running smoothly.
#16 Amazing
Image credits: ForsakenContest8398
#17 I Found Another One In The Wild On Facebook
Image credits: areyouacoolmayor
#18 Popular German Trash TV Celebrity (Story Screenshot On Last Pic)
Image credits: cuchao
During a previous interview with the moderator team of ‘Instagram Reality,’ Bored Panda learned more about the community's thoughts about people’s dependency on social media and filters. According to them, “insecurity, envy, money” drive some people to photoshop their photos so much. They might also be embarrassed about any real or perceived personal flaws, so they edit their pics to the point where they feel comfortable sharing them online.
The problem, according to the mods, is that once someone gets started with photo-editing, it’s hard to stop. They see how easy it is to change anything they find unattractive about themselves.
“Then it snowballs,” the mods told Bored Panda previously. From taking in just a bit of your tummy for a more slender silhouette until eventually she's landed on a waist the size of her neck."
#19 Repeat Offender
Image credits: deathofemotion
#20 This Is Getting Out Of Control!!
Image credits: Lumpy_Square_2365
#21 Girl On TikTok Claimed This Was Her Proof That She Doesnt Edit Her Body
Image credits: Far_Strawberry_6855
"The light improvements are so gradual over time, she stops noticing that the waist she's creating is 1.) of course, not hers 2.) anatomically impossible, and 3.) that she's now set an expectation subconsciously for herself (and outwardly for anyone following her) that she needs to keep up this flawless appearance; which means sticking to the edits she's made for every photo she posts in the future. What she doesn't realize is in this process, she's simultaneously creating and constantly reinforcing her own insecurities,” they explained how someone might get neck-deep into over-editing territory.
#22 Found It On Ig
Image credits: thedaniel_mendez
#23 She Randomly Appeared On My Feed
Image credits: ForeverLoveWonho93
#24 Totally Believable
Image credits: opalumarupaul
"Everyone wants to be loved and desired, everyone wants to feel that they belong. The harsh, scary truth of the matter for anyone is that the more you resemble what people around you consider universally attractive, the more likely you are to have access to those things in your life. So, you begin to think, "Well, what do I need to change about myself to fit in? How do I become more attractive?" the mods mused.
“Based on what magazine covers and many an Instagram Explore page shows you, that image is a tall, long-haired, fair-skinned woman with smooth skin, a slim yet hourglass figure—oh, and don't forget, the perfect butt. In comes photo editing apps, offering you the chance to finally be her. Even if it's only online."
#25 If She Blurs The Background, Who's Gonna Know?
Image credits: opalumarupaul
#26 Her Friend Uploaded The Pics Before She Got A Chance To Edit Them
Image credits: Puzzleheaded_Wait962
#27 Randomly Found On Facebook
Image credits: cornflakegirl87
The moderators of ‘Instagram Reality’ ask everyone to be respectful and not post any identifying information about the people whose photos are shared on the subreddit. “Please ensure all identifying and personal information is hidden. Crop or scratch out all names, usernames, phone numbers, addresses and emails; brand names as well,” they write.
Moreover, the mods point out that there’s absolutely no room for “rude and unnecessary” comments about people’s natural features. Nor should anyone make any creepy or vulgar comments. What’s more, the community isn’t about satire or memes. Meanwhile, if you’re not quite sure that a photo is edited, default to not sharing it in the first place.
Members of ‘Instagram Reality’ should also refrain from posting images of themselves or photos that they’ve personally edited. Furthermore, regardless of how you feel about cosmetic surgery, the group isn’t the place to discuss it. And, of course, there’s no room for images of people generated using artificial intelligence tools.
#28 Found On Facebook…
Image credits: Hot_Ad1806
#29 Ramadan Retouching
Image credits: Dancing_WithTheTsars
#30 This Specific Filter Face Seems To Be Very Common…
Image credits: Rosify
Which of these ‘Instagram Reality’ photos do you think are the most ridiculous, Pandas? From your perspective, what forces someone to edit their pics so much?
Do you personally know anyone who goes overboard with filters or has a social media dependency? How would you help them out if you could talk directly to them? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
#31 Girl, Be So For Real
Image credits: hitchhikerstew
#32 The Fact That All 3 Of These Photos Are From The Same Post, Yet The Editing Is So Vastly Different
Image credits: slm81
#33 Reality Show Contestant Looks A Lil Different On Social Media
Image credits: scarscar13
#34 Found Another One Out In The Wild
Image credits: slm81
#35 She Only Wishes She Looked Like The First Picture
Image credits: rexasaurus1024
#36 The Filter Is Fighting For Its Life
Image credits: krxstvl
#37 I Always Compared Myself To Her Until I Found This Subreddit. Now I See That Something Isn't Right
Image credits: RoundSeal1405
#38 What Is This???
Image credits: Amazing-Brick-4101
#39 She Looks Like A Completely Different Ethnicity In Every Photo??
Image credits: notmedicinal
#40 There’s A 0% Chance She Looks Like This In Real Life
Image credits: I__Am__Jedi
#41 The Bbl Culture Must Disappear. Ig vs. TikTok
Image credits: Amazing-Brick-4101
#42 Saw This On Pinterest, Bruh
Image credits: bhambies
#43 Come On…
Image credits: mangomelliii
#44 It Just Gets Worse
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#45 The Proportions Are Off
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#46 Found In The Wild
Image credits: SparklyCookiess
#47 On Rednote😟
Image credits: Various-Pineapple-46
#48 Even Her ‘No Makeup’ Has A Filter
Image credits: FloressGurl
#49 A 51 Year Old Finnish Model. Insane Warping And Facetune
Image credits: stellateranto
#50 Turns Out Even Hair Isn’t Safe From Photoshop
Image credits: Available_Guidance45
#51 Former Antm Runner - I Have No Idea What She Looks Like Anymore
Image credits: Koshka69
#52 Her Mother Is 85
Image credits: hopefulfuturex
#53 What Am I Even Looking At?
Image credits: Karma_Kazi_337
#54 That Filter Is Working Overtime - She Credits Her Youthful Look To A Supplement
Image credits: HO0T
#55 Bragging About People Being Jealous That She Doesn't Look Her Age And That She Got Carded For Alcohol At 41 But Here Is A Video Still When The Filter Came Off 2 Days Before
Image credits: hissillyrabbit69
#56 “You Still Look 19!!”
Image credits: Dragonlvr420
#57 Filtering Herself To Age Backwards
Image credits: -Vampyroteuthis-
#58 Extreme Catfishing - Both Photos Taken And Posted In The Last Week
Image credits: Route_66_kicks_on
#59 Yikes
Image credits: Sirensong197
#60 Had To Unfollow My Mutual After Seeing This
Image credits: shartingonyournuts
#61 Meemaw, No
Image credits: Zaerryth
#62 AI Pics Are Wild Man (From A Dating App)
Image credits: Visual_Barracuda_733
#63 This Is Absolutely Ridiculous
Image credits: Adventurous-South886
#64 Finally Found An Unfiltered Photo Of Her
Image credits: Ill-Pin4500
#65 Popular Fashion E-Commerce Site
Image credits: GoGoMisterGadget
#66 ‘Never Uses Filters’ Apparently
Image credits: AconiteBelladonna
#67 She Claims She Has Good Genetics
Image credits: VieleAud
#68 Makeup Influencer Who Is Caught Lying. I Am Baffled How She Keeps Her Following
Image credits: Pandalf82
#69 Be So For Real
Image credits: ShyBadgerBitch
#70 This Is So Wrong
Image credits: Amazing-Brick-4101
#71 And Just Like That, Her Waist Was 22”…
Image credits: razorsharpradulas
#72 Blurred Skin Effect For Thee, Sweet Land Of Liberty
Image credits: agemsheis
#73 Jaw So Sharp It Could Cut Brisket
Image credits: Special_Guest_6807
#74 Instagram vs. On TV Show
Image credits: Lucky-Tadpole-7401
#75 This Cosplayer
Image credits: LucyTheOracle
#76 This Might Be A Stretch
Image credits: Inevitable-Hope5930
#77 This Looks Painful
Image credits: alexgtrick
#78 She Strikes Again
Image credits: opiateofblame
#79 These Type Of Edits Annoy Me The Most! Sisters From My Old Town
Image credits: Plane_East_3734
#80 They Haven't Aged A Bit In 4 Years!
Image credits: NurseToasty
#81 Do Your Thing Girl, Just Don’t Lie About It. (Older Photos Included)
Image credits: Ai-Amano
#82 Girl
Image credits: Crunchy_person
#83 Something Feels Off
Image credits: sinlecio
#84 These Cosplayers Are Getting Out Of Hand
Image credits: Amazing-Brick-4101
#85 All The Same Person Btw
Image credits: True-Skin-1120
#86 Former Reality Star
Image credits: Dyinginside33
#87 My Jaw Dropped
Image credits: Adorable-Fix-4427
